1963 Cougar Research "100" mini bike info needed.

markus

Well-Known Member
#23
I had my heart set on a West bend That would have fit the bill for it but it didnt work out. Figured I offer it up before its get boxed and shoved up in the rafters and hopefully forgotten about for awhile so I can try and get a few others finished and either put on the shelf or sold off.
 
#24
im just teasing. once it left my hands, you could do whatever you want with it. I will say that I was really looking forward to you getting it back up to specs though. after seeing your other projects I knew you would do it justice.
 

markus

Well-Known Member
#25
Huge "tanks" Umm I mean Thanks Goes out to Jeep2003 for offereing this tank up, which Is the correct one for the bike :freakout: I had been on the lookout for the right size and was not having any luck. There are remants of where the OG straps were welded to the seat mounts and the straps that were on the tank (still have them soaking/stripping the paint) are going to be a match as well from what it looks like in the advertisements and test reports, This is along haul tank, its BIG!!!

One more piece of the puzzle found :thumbsup:




 

markus

Well-Known Member
#30
I tried one final time on the press to get the wavy forks straightened up yesterday which was a total fail. So I broke down and grabbed the sawzall and cut the fork lowers apart, just below the tree and just above the plates for the swingarm. cut the sections of the old Steen's scrambler frame I had set aside to length and made some full length sleeves:



Much better now

 

markus

Well-Known Member
#33
Never mind. I see the slug now.:laugh:
Yea I used thin wall tubing, I actually had to run a slit down the length of it and crimp it in the vise to work it in because the old tubing seems to be a little thicker than later bikes I have hacked on. The tubing from the steen's bike was thicker too, which is why I used it I guess becuase it was a larger dirt bike. I ran 2 pieces of tubing on each side to make it easier to work into the sections, but they do butt up in the center section and run the entire length of the lowers on up to the handlebars. only added a couple of ounces of weight but hopefully make them a little tougher, There is a lot of weight dangling at the bottom of the forks. with the swingarm setup and heavy hub.
 

markus

Well-Known Member
#34
California or Bust!

Couple of parting shots, as this bike has been purchased by a Collector out in California and after lunch I am boxing it up and sending it out cross country :thumbsup:

few more things done to it on its stay here in FL, replicated the missing footpegs using the advertisements and articles as reference.



After the the fork repairs got done, I went ahead and did a quick run around the bike with the DA sander just to clean it up to show that it was not as bad as it actually looked and not rotted or pitted, I think a high pressure blasting on this would get it real close to where it needs to be with only just a couple fill spots to do.




Think the forks came out pretty good, no more twisted off to the left :laugh:



Buyer I think has a West bend already for it I believe so hopefully he can get it done. I was collecting some early Tecumseh pieces to make a somewhat correct H35 (December 1962), but I think it would be much neater with the WB in it and I would never have been happy. Kinda nice getting rid of all the bikes and extra tools and parts lately, I can almost get a car in garage once again.....compact one anyway :laugh:
 

markus

Well-Known Member
#35
The fellow that bought this bike from me mailed me this really cool photo he had found recently. this is one I have never seen, he had it blown up to go along with the bike and his very large collection. Very cool old action shot of the cougars!!!!! Thanks Kev! I gotta start hittin' some garage sales and get some frames to get some of this stuff up on the walls!

IMG_1270.JPG
 

GustoGuy

Well-Known Member
#36
Very cool Markus. It blows my mind to think how many mini bike companies were around in the Sixties.
I agree, Does anyone actually know how many minibike companies were making bikes in the 1960's in the USA? What I do know is that by the early to mid 1970's nearly all of these manufacturers were out of business or stopped building bikes.
 

Itype2slo

Well-Known Member
#37
The fellow that bought this bike from me mailed me this really cool photo he had found recently. this is one I have never seen, he had it blown up to go along with the bike and his very large collection. Very cool old action shot of the cougars!!!!! Thanks Kev! I gotta start hittin' some garage sales and get some frames to get some of this stuff up on the walls!

View attachment 247955
Cool pic. Was the buyer involved with that company. I have never seen one other than yours.
 
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